


To All, A Good Night

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Seiyou Kottou Yougashiten | Antique Bakery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-19
Updated: 2007-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:26:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1636409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      Vast quantities of love and thanks to Louiselux and Scribblemoose for their encouragement, help, advice & feedback; I couldn't have done it without you :) <br/>MamaDeb - I hope this is what you were hoping for.  All the best for the holiday season!<p>Written for MamaDeb</p>
    </blockquote>





	To All, A Good Night

**Author's Note:**

> Vast quantities of love and thanks to Louiselux and Scribblemoose for their encouragement, help, advice  & feedback; I couldn't have done it without you :)   
> MamaDeb - I hope this is what you were hoping for. All the best for the holiday season!
> 
> Written for MamaDeb

 

 

"Have you dimmed the lights?" asked Ono, from the kitchen.

"Yes, Master. But why?" asked Kanda.   
Ono returned to the table with an enormous plum pudding, flaming blue.

"Master!" shouted Kanda.

"Mister Ono!" cried Chikage, and dived for the water jug, only to have Tachibana whisk it away at the last moment.

"There's no need to worry - it's an old tradition. The spirit used in the recipe - usually brandy or rum - is lit and poured over the pudding just before serving. It adds flavour while the alcohol itself is burned off - there's quite enough of that already in the sauce," Ono explained, beaming. "Hey, I could be trying to get you all drunk!" He winked at Tachibana, who choked on his beer, and slid a sideways look at Chikage, who missed it completely.

"Ah, if only there were some ladies here," said Tachibana, apparently not noticing the way Ono's knuckles went white on the knife. "Although I wouldn't need to get them drunk, of course. My masculine charms, sense of style," he said, apparently unaware that his shirt was untucked and he was scratching his beard, "good food, and exce - and company - they'd be lining up if they were here." He gestured expansively.

"Yeah, yeah - like they are in the café, you mean? It must really suck to have senility set in at the same time as your midlife crisis," said Kanda, laughing at Tachibana's outraged expression.

"Oh, I don't know," chuckled Ono, gripping the cake slice a little too tightly. "One doesn't need women to have fun - right, Chikage-kun?" He smiled up from under his eyelashes, noting with satisfaction how Chikage's jaw dropped. Ono held out his hand. "Why, I'm having a perfectly wonderful time right now!"

"Huh. That wouldn't have anything to do with _that_ , would it?" Tachibana raised an eyebrow and nodded at the light fitting. A large sprig of mistletoe had appeared on it some time during the afternoon, although everyone had been pretending very hard that it hadn't.

"Oh, you know. We wanted a Western Christmas - don't you think we should go all the way?" asked Ono. He stifled a laugh at Tachibana's expression.

Tachibana heaved a long-suffering sigh and rolled his eyes, elbowing Kanda sharply in the side for his snort of laughter. "Look, Mister Genius Pastry Chef, you might be irreplaceable in the kitchen, but notches belong on the bedpost - not the table leg.. So, if you don't mind?"

Ono blushed and ducked his head in embarrassment. "Tachibana, how long have you known me? I have so much to thank you for! Tradition only requests a _kiss_ under the mistletoe; I wouldn't dream of offending your sensibilities by attempting anything more - er - intimate in public." He carefully set the pudding to one side, checked that the flames were out, and wiped his hands. "Chikage-kun?" He smiled and pulled Chikage gently towards him.

Ono never got tired of kissing Chikage, and Chikage certainly appeared to appreciate it, if the way he was wrapping his arms around Ono was any indication. He ignored the ostentatious throat-clearing and carried on, happily twisting his fingers into Chikage's hair.

"Er - Master?" said Kanda, hesitantly. "Master?"

Ono reluctantly disengaged himself from Chikage, who looked rather as if he had hit his head on a skillet, and smoothed himself down as far as possible. "Ah - Sorry! Yes, of course; how selfish of us." He turned and wrapped Chikage's arms around his waist (attempting to hide the evidence that no, it wasn't a whisk in his pocket), leaned back, and smiled. "What am I thinking? It's your turn."

Tachibana gaped. Kanda dropped his fork.

"..." he said, mouth working like a goldfish but unable to form words.

"Tachibana? In the absence of your lady friends, one Christmas kiss for you both?" Ono raised his eyebrows and looked entreating.

"Mister Ono?" Chikage sounded worried.

"Oh! Of course, not with me! Didn't I tell you, Kanda, you aren't my type - although I very much value your considerable talents in the kitchen," Ono added, hurriedly. "You remind me of a friend... And Tachibana and I - hmm, I think we've known each other for too long." He winked. "No, no, if you just kiss each other, that will be a perfect Christmas present, and I shan't worry that I'm having all the fun." He tilted his head towards Kanda, who was looking less than amused at the whole idea.

"You want _me_ to kiss the _geezer_? Like - _kiss_ , kiss? With tongues? Master -" Kanda's voice got louder as his fists clenched. "When you said - I didn't think you'd - He's _old_!"

Tachibana turned and narrowed his eyes. "Hey, less of the 'old', runt!"

"You are old, _old man_." Kanda stuck his tongue out, then visibly caught himself, took a hasty step back and forcibly relaxed his fists. He looked pleadingly at Ono. "Master? Please don't make me? I - I just _couldn't_."

"Oi! What's wrong with me? I'll have you know I've had women queuing up for my company before now; I should be the one turning _you_ down, you little punk!"

"But you aren't, are you? Huh? I'm going to have to kiss you to keep Master happy, and you're going to like it! Then you're going to wish you hadn't, and Master will be jealous and stop teaching me, and you'll sack me, and I'll never be able to prove I can be a good patissier!" Kanda had grabbed Tachibana's lapels and was shaking him.

Everyone froze.

"Kanda, calm down." Ono reached out placatingly. "Come on now; let Mr. Tachibana go."

Kanda spun and grabbed Ono's shoulders instead, almost holding him off the floor in his panic.

"Master, please don't make him send me away!"

Ono had never seen Kanda look so desperate. "Kanda, come on now. Sit down - here, have a top up." Ono refilled Kanda's glass. "Why would we send you away? You're a very good pastry chef. You'll be far better than me one day if you stick with it -" Ono nodded at Kanda's gasp - "and Tachibana agrees with me."

Kanda turned. Tachibana rolled his eyes and dropped his head into his hands.

"Ono, I told you not to say anything. Now he'll be even more insufferable. What's he going to be like to work with now? What if he gets poached by the competition? What are you going to do then, huh? Run yourself into the ground, trying to keep up with all or orders?"

Kanda's mouth had fallen open. Ono was making placating gestures towards Tachibana, who was showing no signs of noticing them.

"Hey, old man. That stuff true? You think I'm good? You _need_ me? _And_ you weren't objecting to the kiss stuff! Ha!" Kanda sat down with a thump and sprawled back, raising his glass. "Cheers! Happy Christmas, you old geezer!"

Ono sighed and shook his head, smiling fondly. Tachibana groaned. Chikage finished Tachibana's drink.

"Mister Ono? Are they going to use the mistletoe now?"

"No, I don't think so, Chikage. Come on. Happy Christmas, Tachibana; Happy Christmas, Kanda. Don't stay up too late - we have an early start tomorrow." Chuckling at everyone's groans, he shepherded Chikage out and towards the stairs. Kanda had his pudding; Tachibana his wine; he & Chikage had each other - and the washing up could wait until morning.

 

 

 


End file.
